L.A. Queen Pins

November 5, 2012 · 11:52 am

Riding in the Car with Me(l): Vermont Edition.

Golly has it been a minute since I’ve last written!!

This recent Riding in the car with Me(l) post took place a few weeks back while working in Vermont. Beautiful state. But cold….and, dare I say, dangerous? I’ll let you be the judge.

I recently took a job that has shipped me over to the beautiful New England region. Vermont. Everyone kept telling me how beautiful it would be in autumn: fall foliage, cool days followed by cooler nights, bonfires with crew, Sundays filled with hoodies and football… I was in. I was ready. I wanted to be in Vermont! Flash forward only 4 days into being in Vermont…. The first saturday of my 6 week adventure: early call time, cold, slight mountain rain, pretty good dinner and long tired drive back to the hotel. Egh, not horrible right? ….

Scene: Residence Inn fire pit

Cast: Eric, Spencer and myself.

Me: You guys! I’ll bring down stuff to make s’mores! It’s in my mexican blood to be a caretaker and feed people. I’ll be back in, how they say in mexico… un segundo!

Eric: she’s crazy, but at least she’s bringing us food, let’s keep her.

Spencer: yay! S’mores!

Me: alright here you go, and here you go. Oh you want another? Great! I’ll make it!

Cue in the long extended S’more stick in the fire pit with marshmallow at end. Flames erupt on the marshmallow.

Me: blah blah blah, that’s funny, blah blah, oh! my marshmallow is on fire let me wave it around to put it out! (smart)

flaming marshmallow sways up, down, up, down loosening at every sway ….snap. off the stick. flying at speeds that man has never even heard of…

SPLATTTTTTTTTTT!

Eric: hahahahahaahaahahahahaha

Me: OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. Did this just happen!?

Eric: hahahahhhhahahahahahahaha

Me: OH MY GOD. OH. MY. GOD.

Eric: ahaha I have never seen that happen to anyone before!!! hahahha I’m sorry for laughing, but…. hahahaha

ME: OH MY GOD. It’s in my hair, and my face! and… OH. MY. GOD. MY FACE IS MELTING.

said flaming marshmallow has now sprung from the stick, on to my face causing it to explode on impact covering a good 65% of my right cheek and hair.

Spencer: haha oh friends on phone, you are so great, haha that is super…. OMG!!! YOUR FACE!!!

Me: I am burning my face. Literally it is going to blister. Burn face.

at this point it has began to settle in. My face is burning. I run to grab a wet towel and try to remove the burning melted marshmallow off my face. Spencer has run around looking for ANYTHING.

Spencer: can I get you some Cortisone!?!?!?

His attempts were noble.

Me: I’m going to be a monster!!! My face is going to melt off all because of a flaming marshmallow! I shall be called Two-Face. Harvey Dent. Forever. Goodbye Cover Girl gig. Maybelline? More like Maybe-never. I never thought I could relate to Leonardo DiCaprio, but Woman in the Iron Mask has a good ring to it.

after much antibacterial cream from the hotel lobby and almost tears, I went upstairs and laughed.

Me: hahaha melissa, you burnt your face because of a flying flaming marshmallow. Goodnight.

Morning After.

Seems to be healing fairly nice
“your birthmark looks like shit…” (name that movie)

Lived to tell about it!

xo,

mel

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September 27, 2012 · 10:51 am

C Plus Coffee

I haven’t written a blog since the Ice Age. No really, it’s been that long. I’ve been so busy with work that I haven’t gotten out much or at least have tried a place that was blog worthy. Until this Wednesday. I was meeting with a new-to-LA friend and was in search of a coffee shop in Glendale. I’m a fan of Glendale, I’ve lived here for 4 years but one thing it doesn’t have is an abundance of local coffee shops. We have chains abound but nothing else. To Yelp! I went in search of that gem. Boy, did I find it.

C Plus Coffee is on the Los Feliz end of Glendale. If you know Glendale it’s right at the end of the row of car dealerships on Brand. It’s an easy place to miss if you were just passing through. I can’t speak to the coffee because we didn’t try any of it. However, I hear good things about it. I partook in some hot tea. I tried their Blood Orange tea. I’ll tell you the truth blood orange tea was a little scary but I went for it. I was in a new place I might as well try something new. It was delicious! I probably could have drank another 12 cups if my wallet allowed.

Speaking of wallets, this cute place is only one dollar sign. Which is how I judge places these days thanks to the internet. The coffee seemed decently priced too.

The tea is great, the shop is close, the price is right…so what could be the cherry on top? A constant flow of punk music on the speakers that’s what. I don’t know about you but I was so excited that all they played was punk music and not droll elevator music. Oh and I forgot to mention…they’re open 24 hours so you can grab your caffeine fix any time of day!

Now, the real cherry would be if they sold tall boys of PBR…but I jest of course! That’s what the dive next door is for.

Do yourself a favor and check out C Plus Coffee the next time you’re in the area and need your fix. You won’t be dissapointed.

Yummy goodies staring you in the face as you order.

Interior

Golden TV’s by the Golden Rules

Ahhh….

xoxo,

– J

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Tagged as C Plus, C Plus Coffee, Glendale, Glendale Coffee Shops, Hot Tea, Punk Music and Cofee, Tea

August 28, 2012 · 1:58 pm

Summer Things

Summer is coming to an end. Well, as much as summer can come to an end in Southern California. I have to admit, I’m ready for these humid and warm days to be gone and the crispness of Fall to take its place. Here are some activites we have been enjoying before the long days are gone…

The Autry Famers Market

Our goodies from the Autry Farmers Market

Sweet Treats from Bryan’s Garden

Enjoying Cold Locally Brewed Beverages and Great Friends on the Deck of Golden Road Brewing

PANCAKES AT THE GRIDDLE (Which is actually an any kind of season activity)

IT’S YUGE

Hope you are enjoying these last days of summer as much as we are!

LUV,
Britt

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Filed under Delicious Treats, L(ocal) A(musement)

Tagged as Fresh Fruit, Gardening, Golden Road Brewing, Golden Road Locally Brewed Beers, Locally Bought, Locally Grown, Pancakes, Pancakes at The Griddle, The Autry Farmers Market, The Griddle

July 18, 2012 · 10:32 am

Vol. 94

Every few months we decide to treat ourselves to a “special” date night. This is when we will valet the car, get a bottle of wine, enjoy a nice long dinner, and act like we are blinded to the prices on the menu.

We decided to try Vol. 94 in Pasadena, maybe because I had a BlackboardEats discount for 30% off dinner. It’s a quant tapas style restaurant and wine bar. I’m a huge fan of small plates (lets you try more things!) and I also love wine, so this was a definite winner in my book.

I was so sad we didn’t get to use the chopsticks…

Oh, hey, handsome

I didn’t snap any photos of the food because I have this problem lately where when I’m eating, I completely forget to stop.

But if you go, which I HIGHLY recommend, some of our favorites were the Duck Fat Nuts, Korean Pizza, and the Pan Seared Diver Scallops. Ok, now writing this is making my mouth water and I must wrap it up!

And if you haven’t signed up for BlackboardEats yet, here’s another reason to do so:
Our bill should have been around $100. Instead, it was $63 (that included 5 small plates and a nice bottle of wine) and we left STUFFED.

Happy small plates eating to you!

LUV,
Britt

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Filed under Delicious Treats, L(ocal) A(musement)

Tagged as BlackboardEats, Small Plates, Small Plates Restaurant, Tapas, Vol. 94, Vol. 94 Pasadena, Vol. 94 Restaurant

July 12, 2012 · 11:20 am

Riding in the Car with Me(l): Summer Edition-Bike Rides

The sun was powerful and angry. He wanted to bust through that ozone layer and hit me directly. Would I allow him? Probably, gurrrrl, ya’ll know everyone looks better with a little sun-kissed glow, mmmm kay?!

It was just to darn hot! What is an unemployed girl to do in such heat? POOL IT UP.

Noticing my bike had a flat tire, I ran over to Brandon’s and asked to borrow Margo’s.

“Brotally Mel! I’ll ride with you and get some laps in gurrrl”

So off we were, Mel and Brandon, Brandon and Mel about to take over the Sherman Oaks pool, one bike ride and backstroke at a time. I must first preface, the saying “it’s just like riding a bike” is not ALWAYS true. There are certain things to keep in to consideration prior to muttering the words.

1. Is the bike too big/tall? If so…you may have a problem

2. Do you know where the breaks are? If not…you may have a problem

3. Can you reach the breaks? If not… I think you know where I am going with this. Let the story continue…

“Brandon! I don’t know if I can ride this bike! It’s too tall!”

“Mel, quit being mexican and pedal! pretend you are pedaling to make tacos or something”

So pedal I did. Until I notice…the crowded narrow sidewalk. SHIT. How am I going to get through there?!

OMG I am going too fast. CRAP! My aunt’s black jean side bag from mexico is falling, crap! move bag! move!!! OMG, is that a dead pigeon!? AHHH The light post! WTF is a shopping cart doing here!? (homeless man’s home) oh crap I’m going to fall, NOOOOO Not into the LA River! NO!!!

swerve to the left, swerve to the right, swerve again to the left over the curb onto traffic

WHERE ARE THE BREAKS?!?!??!?!?!?!? I’ll just use my left foot as a break, my flip-flops will protect.

“AHHHHH BRANDON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“GEEEZUS Mel, (gag) what happened?! (gag)”

“Brandon, I have a dead pigeon’s feather flapping in the wind on my half torn off toe nail. I couldn’t stop.”

As I continue to pedal to the pool I can’t help but replay that moment in my head. I let out a loud laugh. you dummy…

My eyes meet my wounds and blood continues to pool over my toe, alas the feather still flaps in the wind…

Good bye cute pedicure, hello bird disease?

I’m a baby.

xo,

mel

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Filed under Our thoughts and rambles

Tagged as Baby, Bike Rides, Bird Feathers, Brotally, LA, LA River, Pain, Pigeon, Pool, Riding in the Car with Me(l), Safety, Sherman Oaks, SUMMER, Swimming, Tacos

July 10, 2012 · 11:04 am

Backyard Movies!

It’s summer time in LA. What do folks love most about this time of year? Watching movies outside, of course! The boys decided that they wanted to make their own personal movie theater in their backyard a couple of weeks ago.

It was a double feature.

Hard Boiled :

House:

Definitely some cult classics.

Testing it out with some ‘Role Models’

HARD BOILED

HOUSE

All you need is a projector, a screen, some speakers (can be rented from Craigslist for very reasonible prices), blankets, good friends, homemade popcorn, and a couple of good flicks.

Happy Screenings!

LUV,
Britt

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Filed under L(ocal) A(musement)

Tagged as Backyard Movie Screenings, Cult Classics, Hard Boiled, House Criterion Collection, Screen Your Own Movies

July 2, 2012 · 10:21 am

Cinespia Presents: Labyrinth

When it comes to summer time in LA there is nothing that I love more than enjoying the outdoors. There is no humidity to deal with, no mosquitos, simply sunshine and warmth. So when Cinespia was showing Labyrinth this Saturday at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery I packed up my ~~picnic~~ wine basket and headed over.